Special Education Program

Introduction

CNMI PSS Special Education, as defined by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, (IDEA), is specially designed instruction, at no cost to the parents, to meet the unique needs of children with disabilities.

Special Education is not a “place” for children with disabilities. It is a system of supports and services provided to a child in order for the child to have access to and benefit from the educational curriculum in the school they would go to if they did not have a disability.

Children who receive special education are those between 3 to 21 years old who have been determined to have a disability and need specialized instruction.The “determination” is made by a team of individuals, including the parent, who use a variety of information to determine if the child has a disability and the educational needs of the child.The child’s disability must fall into one or more of the 13 disabling categories as specified by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act:Autism, Deaf-Blind, Hearing Impairment, Mental Retardation, Multiple Disabilities, Orthopedic Impairments, Other Health Impaired, Emotional Disturbance, Specific Learning Disability, Speech and Language Impaired, Traumatic Brain Injury, Visual Impairment including Blindness and Developmental Delay (up to age 9).

Goal Statement

It is the Public School System’s goal to ensure all children with disabilities are located, identified and provided a Free Appropriate Public Education in the least restrictive environment that prepares them for future education, employment and independent living.

Grant Application

The US Office of Special Education Program makes grants available to assist states in providing a free appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment for children with disabilities ages 3 through 21.

FFY 2024 Grant

FFY 2023 Grant

FFY 2022 Grant

FFY 2021 Grant

FFY 2020 Grant

Annual State Determination

The U.S. Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) is required to review state data and annual performance reports and make a determination if the state or jurisdiction Special Education Program meets the Part B requirements of IDEA.The determination was based on the review of the Public School Systems Annual Performance Report, with valid and reliable data that reflected the measurement for each indicator, demonstrated compliance or timely correction of noncompliance, and in instances where it did not demonstrate compliance, had made progress in ensuring compliance over prior performance in that area.

FFY 2024 State Determination

FFY 2023 State Determination

FFY 2022 State Determination

FFY 2021 State Determination

FFY2021 Part B Determination
FFY2021 Part B.508compliance

FFY 2020 State Determination

FFY2020 Part B Determination

FFY 2019 State Determination

FFY 2019 Determination Letter

State Performance Plan/Annual Performance Report

In 2006, the Public School System Special Education Program was required to submit a State Performance Plan (SPP) which included measurable and rigorous performance targets and compliance targets on 20 Monitoring Indicators. The SPP was developed with input from stakeholders including the Special Education State Advisory Panel (SESAP), Parent Focus Groups, a Board of Education Subcommittee, School Leadership Teams, and special education staff and technical assistance provided by the University of Guam Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities Education, Research, and Service (Guam CEDDERS). Thereafter, the Special Education Program was required to submit an Annual Performance Report describing its performance based on the performance targets, slippage and improvement activity implementation.

FFY 2022 Annual Performance Report

MP-01 SPP PART B FFY 2022-23

FFY 2021 Annual Performance Report

MP-01 SPP PART B FFY 2021-22

FFY 2020 Annual Performance Report

MP-01 SPP PART B FFY 2020-21

FFY 2019 Annual Performance Report

FFY 2018 Annual Performance Report

MP-01 SPP PART B FFY 2018-19

FFY 2017 Annual Performance Report

APR-2017B-MP

State Systemic Improvement Plan

In school year 2013-2014, the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP has developed a Results Driven Accountability (RDA) system to better align its activities and use of resources to more effectively support States’ capacity to drive systems change that leads to improved results at the local level. The State Systemic Improvement Plan (SSIP) framework as a major focus of States and OSEP’s efforts in improving results for children with disabilities.

FFY 2020 - 2025 SSIP
FFY 2020-2025 CNMI Part B Theory of Action
FFY 2020-2025 CNMI Part B Evaluation Plan

FFY2022 SSIP

mp-ssipIIIYr6-2022b

SSIP Phase III Year 5

mp-ssipIIIYr5-2021b

SSIP Phase III Year 4

mp-ssipIIIYr4-2020b

618 Data Reports

Section 618 of IDEA requires that states must collect and report data that measure results for children and families served under the Part B program. States are required to submit data through EdFacts. EdFacts is a U.S. Department of Education initiative to put performance data at the center of policy, management, and budget decisions for all early childhood and K-12 educational programs. CNMI was required to submit its Exit, Discipline, Personnel, Assessment, Child Count and Environments data via the Education Data Exchange Network (EDEN), which is a centralized portal through which states submit their educational data to the U.S. Department of Education. The Maintenance of Effort and Dispute Resolution were submitted through the EDFacts Metadata and Process System (EMAPS), which is a web-based tool used to provide State Education Agencies with an easy method of reporting and maintaining information on state policies, plans, and metadata in order to aid in the analysis of data collected.

Child Count & Educational Environments

2022-2023

2021-2022

2020-2021

2019-2020

Maintenance of Effort

2022-2023